It is more blessed giving than to receive.

Foreword:
Boring post ahead. Read and feel bored & bad at your own risk.

___________________________________________

So... I think some of you know that I'm joining the
Brunei Marathon 2006.

(Click link for more information)


I know a lot of you had missed the registration date, and as for me, I was lucky. I handed the form in just a day before the closing date. Thanks to Mabel whom actually drove to my place, and helped me to print out my (stupid) passport photo.


Initially I had no idea what the whole thing was about. Didn't even really read thru the website's information. I just filled in the form, paid the registration form and handed in my (ugly) passport photos.


It was only until yesterday when Mabel passed the donation card to me, then I read the contents.


Honestly, I didn't know that I have to collect donations...


And I didn't know it's for charity as well..


I'm not complaining about all the extra work I have to do for the collections. Instead, I felt glad. <-Honest!

For the past decades, everytime when I was actually asked to do something like this, it is always for the school that I studied in, asking for contributions to renovate the building, to replaced the faulty parts in the science lab and so on..

Never for the people who REALLY need the money.

(I'm not saying that donating money to school is unneccessary ok. Please don't get me wrong)


Ever heard a saying?

施比受更有福。

(Translation: It is more blessed giving than to receive)

We're living in a world, with no war and no natural disaster. And living in Brunei, it doubles our luck. Our fuel is dirt cheap, education is free, medication is free, cars, houses are cheap and our government in generous.

(Let's not talk about the *citizenship issues* here)

My question is, why everytime when we're asked for donations, we only will forked out the small notes or the extra coins in our pockets?

I know it's not that we do not have the money to help, but what is the reason keeping us from giving more?

I was chatting with my Christian colleague the other day, pressing the buttons on the calculator and counting our monthly expenses. I was shocked that she actually gives 10% of what she earned for donations. She told me that Christians believed that what they have is all given by God, and the 10% is for repaying (or something like that. I wasn't sure)

Now tell me, how many of you..or us are willing to give 10% of our earnings for charity?

At least.. (to be honest) at this point I know I wouldn't.

(5% would be ok for me as I still have to take in a lot of considerations before I spend every single cent in my wallet.. Car loans, insurance, household expenses, mobile phone's bill, internet bill and so on..Or if you like, you can say that I'm frugal. I admit that.)

I remembered that in my last visit to a beauty saloon two months ago to "steam" my dry-like-hays-with-bloody-lots-of-split ends-hair and my quarter year manicure (Argh!!! I hate blood-sucking-saloons when putting moose on my permed-hair cost me extra $3.00! Well, I think they know I'm that karit because I don't go there often)

(I rather spend money on books than my hair which will gives me nothing in return)

I was thinking to myself..

"If only we spend less money on things that we actually don't need, then we can help a lot of them who needs help. "

Do we really need that latest 3G phone (when your old one is working completely fine)?

Do we really need the weekly manicure/pedicure/hair treatment/ armpit waxing (when we can do it ourselves at home)?

Do we really need the clothes/bags/shoes/earrings that we fall in love at that instant we saw it (when the clothes we already had are actually bursting out from our closet, the shoe rack does not have anymore empty space, and the bag we last bought had only been used once)?

Do we really need to eat an expensive meal at those poor lighted restaurant and ordering a glass of water would cost $2.00 (when we can just cook at home or eat the $1.00 Nasi Katok)?

Do we really need to drink the cup of coffee from the famous franchise cafe that cost $5.50 per cup (when the Kopi-O/C (kau) sold is kopitiam or hawker stalls are only $0.50)?

Ever calculated how much we spent on our "wants" and not "needs"?

I'm not a Saint. And this entry doesn't make me one as well. I'm just saying all this to remind you all (including myself) on how selfish we can be, thinking about ourselves only and ignoring the voices calling out for assistance.

There are people out there with no shelter and yet we complained the aircon in our room is not strong enough.

There are people out there with no (clean) food and water and yet we complained we're sicked of eating the same thing and just don't know which restaurant to go.

p/s: People, we eat to live.. Not live to eat.

There are people who has to walk for miles just to get a bucket of water and yet we complained that our cars are not posh enough.


(God.. I think I bored you people who's reading this now.. I'm whining like an old hag. At the same time, I noticed that I do have the "qualities" in being a teacher, talking to myself for an hour and nag nag nag. Hahahaa.)

I think, I'm almost done with it.

Here, some informations about the marathon.

The Route

(I know, can't see anything from the map also)


The Prize

The Reason

Again, your little money in your pocket can makes a lot of difference. Please donate (if possible, generously)

Help them when you still can.